John McCain: quorum call: mr. mccain: mr. president, i ask further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. the senator from arizona. mr. mccain: madam president, i ask to proceed as if in morning business. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mccain: madam president, i'd like to tak a few moments to address the situation in burma. it's faded from the headlines but the outrageous detention and

John McCain: trial of aung san suu kyi, that astonishingly courageous burmese leader continues. miss suu kyi spent the last has been held at the notorious hin sang -- i may have to correct that procee pronunciation -- prison compound. she was charged with crimes

John McCain: following the arrival at her house of an uninvited american man and swam across a nearby lake. he then reportedly stayed on her compound for two days despite requests to leave. based on this occurrence, the regime charged miss s crimes and ordered her to trial in late may.

John McCain: since then, she has been jailed and awaits possible conviction and up to five years in prison let's recall that this long-suffering woman is, in fact, the legitimately elected leader of that country. to this day, the gener to recognize the 1990 election in which miss suu kyi's nationa

John McCain: league for democracy was victorious. instead, they plan to with -- quote -- "elections" to be held next year that they evidently believe will legit muse their ill legitimate rule. the ruling regime seeks ways to ensure miss suu kyi n.l.d. members are not free to

John McCain: participate in these elections since it's the n.l.d. and not the military junta that has the support of the burmese people. as an estimated 2,100 political prisoners, including aung san suu kyi, fill burmese jails, the international community should see this process for the sham that it

John McCain: represents. as i have said on numerous occasions, i once had the great honor of meeting her. she is a woman of astonishing courage and incredible resolve. her determination in the face of sear any inspires me and every individual who holds democracy dear.

John McCain: her resilience in the face of untold sufferings or courage at the hands of a cruel regime and her composure despite years of oppression inspire the world. burma's rulers fear that aung san suu kyi, because of what she represents -- peace, freedom, and justice for all burmese

John McCain: people -- the thugs who run burma have tried to stifle her voice but they will never extinguish her moral courage. states secretary general traveled to burma in an attempt to press the regime on rights the ruling generals reacted in their typical fashion.

John McCain: they stage manag visit, even refusing his request to speak before a gathering of diplomats and humanitarian groups. instead, before leaving, he was forced to speak at the regime's drug elimination museum. he was also refused a meeting with aung san suu kyi. burmese officials stated that

John McCain: their judicial not permit a meeting with an individual currently on trial. incredible. following his visit to burma, the secretary general pointed out that allowing a meeting with important symbol on the government's willingness to

John McCain: embark on the kind of meaningful engagement essential to credible elections in 2010. he's right. and the regime's refusal is simply the latest meaningful engagement is not on its list of priorities. it's incumbent on all those in the international community who care about human rights to respond to the junta's out rages.

John McCain: the work of aung san suu kyi and the members of the national league for democracy must be the world's work. we must continue to press the junta until it is willing to negotiate an irreversible transition to democratic rule. the burmese people deserve less. this means renewing the sanctions that will expire this

John McCain: year and it means vigorous enforcement by our treasury department of the targeted financial sanctions in place against regime leaders. and it means clear that we stand on the side of freedom for the burmese people and against those who seek to the message of solidarity with

John McCain: the burmese people should come from all corridors, and that includes their closest neighbors, the asean countries. the united states, european countries and others have condemned ms. suu and call for her immediate release. the countries of southeast asia should be at the forefront of this fall.

John McCain: asean now has a human rights charter countries have committed to protect and rits. now is the time to live up to that commitment, and asean could start rangoon in order to demand an immediate unconditional release of aung san suu kyi.

John McCain: following the visit of the u.n. secretary general, the representative to the u.n. stated that the government is planning to bring amnesty to a number of prisoners so that they may participate in the 2010 gene asean states should demand the implementation of this pledge to include all political prisoners

John McCain: currently in ms. suu kyi. secretary of state clinton will travel to thailand later this month to participate in the asean regional forum. i urge her to take with her southeast asian colleagues. too many years have passed without the smallest improvement in burma.

John McCain: though the situation there is replete with frustration and worse, it is not hopeless. we know from history that tyranny will not forever endure and burma will be no exction. aung san suu kyi and all those burmese who have followed her lead in pressing for their own inalienable rights should know

John McCain: all free people stand with you and support you. the world is watching not only your brave actions, but also those of the military government know no bound. burma's future will be one of peace and freedom, not violence and repression. we as americans stand on the

John McCain: side of peace, not violence, and of the millions of people in burma who aspire to a better life, not those who would keep them isolate and oppressed. the united states has a critical role to play in burma and throughout the world as the chief voice for the rights and integrity for all persons.

John McCain: nothing can relieve us of responsibility to stand up for those whose high man rights are in peril, nor the knowledge that we stand for something in this world greater self-interest. should we need guide us, we need look no further than to that astonishingly courageous leade aung san suu kyi.

John McCain: the junta's latest actions are once again a desperate attempt by a decaying regime to stall freedom's inevitable progress in burma and across asia. they wl fail, as surely as aung san suu kyi's campaign for a free burma will one day succeed. mr. president, i ask unanimous

John McCain: time. the presiding officer: without objeion, so ordered. mr. mccain: the story from the burmese prison, human rights campaigners say incarceration at the top security prison known as the darkest hell hole in burma could be tantamount to a death sentence especially as the 63-year-old's health -- referring to aung san suu kyi --

John McCain: health is known to be fragile. bol key join for political prisoners. burma has firsthand experience of life in insein jail. he was jailed for years for political dissent, kept in solitary confinement for more than that was about 8 feet by 12 feet.